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A group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged Nigerians to ensure the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024, is conducted peacefully in the country.
The Osun Masterminds gave the advice at a press conference addressed by its Executive Director, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Saturday.
The group, while noting the citizens’ right to protest in Nigeria, said no one should attempt to subdue people’s voices whenever they chose to cry out about how they are been governed or misgoverned.
It also described the state of affairs in Nigeria as worrisome, stressing that the people have a right to voice their disapproval as guaranteed by the constitution of the nation for freedom of association, gathering, and speech.
The Osun Masterminds said, “We condemn threats by security agencies, groups, and political office holders against any form of protest. Our democracy as presently enjoyed, was borne out of agitations, therefore, if there is any component of democracy that is germane, it is that of freedom.
“At a time that we have not fully recovered from the woes of the EndSARS, the looting, maiming and destruction of lives and public facilities that were and still being replaced by our common patrimony or lost forever, we can’t afford to have a repeat of such as a nation and that is why the note of caution is been sounded to the ears of particularly the youths, than an uncoordinated protest or one that is without leadership is a very dangerous.
“It is in this light that we caution that the protest be conducted peacefully, and no form of infiltration must be allowed by hoodlums and those whose intentions are not patriotic. We already are having a shortage in critical infrastructure in the country, and we cannot afford to by ourselves destroy the very few functional national assets, in the name of showing grievances against the government.
“We advise the government to be more proactive and engage the citizens more by being accountable, transparent, and showing empathy in their dealings and demand from the system that accommodate their representation and leadership.”
Speaking on the free fall of naira at the foreign exchange market, The Osun Masterminds urged President Bola Tinubu to “immediately” direct the fiscal policy stakeholders in the country to map out ways by which the slide of the naira can be halted, “while working assiduously to boost its value through stimulation of local production and promotion of exportation.”
On the new minimum wage, the group called on the government to find ways to regulate market prices of goods and services, to ensure that the minimum wage serves its intent and purpose.
“Civil servants of this country should not receive the minimum wage with one hand and lose same through the high cost of goods and service as may be occasioned by the payment of the new minimum wage,” it added.
The Osun Masterminds further called on the Federal Government to direct anti-graft agencies in the country to check the records of states to “end the looting and diversion of public funds that has become widespread”.
It said, “In the spirit of the recent judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on local government administration, states must now be held accountable for the diversion of Local Government funds, which has become a nationwide practice.
“The book of records over the years must be opened with the aim of ascertaining how much of common wealth at the local level has been misapproprated by the states and be made to account for it.
“The local government, being a distinct arm of government, must not be held down by the greed and corruption of politicians. The federal government must go a step further after the judgement to ensure that states electoral commissions are not being used to cheat the people and turn their will against them.”
The Osun Masterminds also called on the Osun State House of Assembly to make public its expenditures from the last quarter of 2023 and the two quarters already passed in 2024.
“We must state however that it is an act of irresponsibility and ignorance of correct democratic behaviour, for a young Speaker of the State Assembly to ignore calls for accountability and probity. We are deeply saddened that a young, new entrant into the public service is acting in such manner,” the group stressed.
It, therefore, commended the Osun State Government’s efforts to develop the state’s infrastructure, especially Osogbo, adding, “We have in the past expressed our reservations about some of the planned projects and we hope the state government does not pursue any white elephant projects at this time when resources are scarce.
“We want to decry the pain and agony that motorists are subjected to in Osogbo and its environs occasioned by the ongoing construction and we charge the state government and the contractor handling the work to as a matter of urgency create clear alternative routes in critical areas of the and also ensure that such is motorable and not in despicable state.
“We however commend the government for its ongoing efforts and we appeal that timely completion of the ongoing projects are achieved. Construction projects are potential health hazards to community dwellers and thus, they must be completed fast and on schedule.
“We appeal to the state government to ensure strict monitoring of the contractors to ensure that projects are completed on schedule and to design specifications.”
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